Physical and biochemical properties of effluent leaving an onshore Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua,Linnaeus 1758; Gadiformes: Gadidae) aquaculture facility and potential use in integrated multi‐trophic aquaculture

The physical and biochemical properties of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) wastes were analysed, and the waste remediation potential of blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) was assessed. Waste generated daily by Atlantic cod represented 24.9% of the cod feed added to the system. Particle distributions determined using a Coulter Multisizer and image analysis revealed that the majority of the particles in terms of numbers occupy the smaller size ranges; however, larger particles occupy a larger proportion of the volume. Effluent was composed of particles <70 μm (36%), 70–500 μm (31%) and particles >500 μm (33%) by weight. The amount of dissolved carbon and nitrogen associated with the effluent represented 3.1% and 3.7%, respectively, of the total feed added to the system daily. Particles <70 μm had significantly less organic matter, lipids and fatty acids and were expected to be ingested more by mussels than larger particles. The major lipid classes present in effluent were free fatty acids, triacylglycerols, phospholipids, acetone mobile polar lipids and sterol. Cod effluent contained two essential fatty acids DHA and EPA, a diatom marker (16:1ω7), as well as two zooplankton markers 22:1ω11 and 20:1ω9, which accumulated in mussels and may serve as markers for aquaculture wastes. Although only 36% of the effluent was of a size suitable for mussel ingestion, this size fraction has the greatest potential to spread to surrounding areas. These particulates may be useful as an alternate food source when natural seston is low.     

Application of MS-Based Metabolomic Approaches in Analysis of Starfish and Sea Cucumber Bioactive Compounds

Today, marine natural products are considered one of the main sources of compounds for drug development. Starfish and sea cucumbers are potential sources of natural products of pharmaceutical interest. Among their metabolites, polar steroids, triterpene glycosides, and polar lipids have attracted a great deal of attention; however, studying these compounds by conventional methods is challenging. The application of modern MS-based approaches can help to obtain valuable information about such compounds. This review provides an up-to-date overview of MS-based applications for starfish and sea cucumber bioactive compounds analysis. While describing most characteristic features of MS-based approaches in the context of starfish and sea cucumber metabolites, including sample preparation and MS analysis steps, the present paper mainly focuses on the application of MS-based metabolic profiling of polar steroid compounds, triterpene glycosides, and lipids. The application of MS in metabolomics studies is also outlined.     

Synchrotron X-ray scattering analysis of the interaction between corn starch and an exogenous lipid during hydrothermal treatment

Lipids have an important effect on starch physicochemical properties. There exist few reports about the effect of exogenous lipids on native corn starch structural properties. In this work, a study of the morphological, structural and thermal properties of native corn starch with L-alpha-lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC, the main phospholipid in corn) was performed under an excess of water. Synchrotron radiation, in the form of real-time small and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS), was used in order to track structural changes in corn starch, in the presence of LPC during a heating process from 30 to 85 °C. When adding LCP, water absorption decreased within starch granule amorphous regions during gelatinization. This is explained by crystallization of the amylose-LPC inclusion complex during gelatinization, which promotes starch granule thermal stability at up to 95 °C. Finally, a conceptual model is proposed for explaining the formation mechanism of the starch-LPC complex.     

Influence of medium‐chain triglycerides on consumption and weight gain in rats: a systematic review

The use of medium‐chain triglycerides (MCTs) has been studied for years in an attempt to elucidate their effects in food intake and body weight in animals. The aim of this study was to determine whether there is evidence that the use of MCT reduces consumption and body weight gain in rats, a species chosen as it has been widely used as an animal model in different surveys. A search of scientific work was performed in November 2011 on two bases: ‘Web of Science’ and ‘PubMed’. The terms sample size and homogeneity, randomisation, food consumption and weight gain, body composition, enzyme activity and hormonal activity in rats were used as selection criteria. Thirteen papers were selected after the refinement of the research. Twelve studies measured weight gain and among these, seven detected a decrease in weight gain and five found no differences. Twelve papers also measured food intake and among these, four detected a decrease in consumption, one detected an increase and seven found no differences. Based on established criteria for the ranking of scientific papers, it is concluded that there is strong evidence that MCTs can effectively reduce the consumption and subsequent weight gain of animals. However, in the long term, there may not be differences in results depending on the phenotypic adaptation of animals to a new metabolic condition.     

玉米抗寒性的研究进展

低温不仅是限制冷敏植物分布及其生长最重要的环境因素,也是影响许多热带或亚热带作物生产的重要气候条件.近年来玉米抗寒性的研究结果表明玉米的抗寒性在自交系间存在明显的差异,冷锻炼或ABA处理也能使抗寒性大为提高.玉米抗寒性的表现有着重要的生理基础,即抗氧化酶的活性维持在较高水平而且其同工酶的表达模式也相应改变;膜类脂降解的程度较轻、光系统II保持较高的活力、膜系统保持较好的通透性和完整性;叶片中ABA、水势和渗透压均维持在较高的水平.玉米抗寒性的遗传分析以及有关基因的克隆和遗传转化的研究结果表明玉米的抗寒性是由多基因控制的数量性状,利用品种改良和生物技术能有效地提高玉米的抗寒性。     

饲喂益生菌Lactobacillus casei Zhang对高脂日粮大鼠肝脏脂质代谢的作用

【目的】研究不同剂量益生菌L. casei Zhang（2.0×1010 CFU/d、2.0×109 CFU/d和2.0×108 CFU/d）及其发酵乳饮料（2.0×108 CFU/mL/d）对高胆固醇血症大鼠肝脏脂质的治疗作用。【方法】采用高脂饲料诱导高脂血症,采用相应试剂盒测定肝脏总胆固醇水平（TC）和甘油三酯（TG）水平、粪便总胆汁酸水平与胆固醇水平以及血清载脂蛋白ApoAⅠ与ApoB水平。【结果】益生菌各剂量组和发酵饮料组与高脂模型组相比,肝脏总胆固醇水平（TC）和甘油三酯（TG）水平均显著降低(P＜0.05 或P＜0.01)。各试验组均可显著增加高血脂大鼠粪便总胆汁酸水平和血清载脂蛋白ApoAⅠ水平以及显著降低血清载脂蛋白ApoB水平(P＜0.01),但对粪便胆固醇水平影响不明显(P＞0.05)。【结论】益生菌L. casei Zhang主要通过增加总胆汁酸的排出和调节载脂蛋白水平来改善高血脂大鼠肝脏脂质水平。     

低温强光下水稻类囊体膜脂不饱和度和叶黄素循环组分的变化

为了阐明籼稻、粳稻对低温强光敏感性的差异,着重研究了低温强光下水稻类囊体膜脂不饱和度与紫黄质脱环氧化酶（VDE）活性的变化。随着低温强光处理时间的延长,类囊体膜脂不饱和脂肪酸含量降低、饱和脂肪酸含量增加,因而膜脂不饱和指数(IUFA)下降。同时,叶黄素循环的关键酶——VDE活性降低,叶黄素循环组分中紫黄质（V）含量增加,而单环氧玉米黄质（A）和玉米黄质（Z）的含量减少,表现为(A+Z)/(A+Z+V)比值下降。Arrhenius分析证明,VDE对低温和膜脂不饱和度都敏感。相关分析表明,类囊体IUFA分别与VDE活性、(A+Z)/(A+Z+V)和D1蛋白量呈显著的正相关。与粳稻9516相比,籼稻汕优63类囊体膜的IUFA较低,低温下类囊体膜脂流动性和稳定性较差, VDE活性和(A+Z)/(A+Z+V)比值较低。     

Hypolipidaemic effects of potato protein and fish protein in pigs

This study was performed to assess the effects of potato protein and fish protein on concentrations of lipids in plasma and lipoproteins and the expression of genes involved in lipid metabolism in pigs used as an animal model. Therefore, 27 young male pigs with an average body weight of 22 kg were fed diets supplemented with protein extracted from potatoes (containing 849 g protein/kg dry matter), Alaska Pollack fillet as a source of fish protein (containing 926 g crude protein/kg dry matter) or casein which was used as control, for 3 weeks. Diets were formulated to supply identical amounts of each protein to the pigs by the three protein sources, namely 116 g/day in first week and 150 g/day in the second and third week. Pigs fed potato protein had lower concentrations of cholesterol in plasma and LDL than pigs fed casein (p < 0.05); no effect was observed on concentrations of HDL cholesterol and triglycerides. Pigs fed fish protein had lower cholesterol concentrations in plasma, LDL and HDL, and lower triglyceride concentrations in triglyceride-rich lipoproteins than pigs fed casein (p < 0.05). mRNA concentrations of genes involved in bile acid synthesis and cholesterol uptake were higher in pigs fed fish protein than in pigs fed casein (p < 0.05); no effect on these genes was observed in pigs fed potato protein. Expression of genes involved in lipogenesis and fatty acid oxidation was not altered by fish protein. In conclusion, this study shows that fish protein and potato protein lower plasma cholesterol concentrations in pigs. The hypocholesterolaemic effect of fish protein might be in part caused by a stimulation of bile acid synthesis; the reason for the hypocholesterolaemic effect of potato protein requires further elucidation.     

几种脂肪酶在亨氏马尾藻多不饱和脂肪酸提取中的初步应用研究

研究了脂肪酸酶的种类、用量、水解温度、溶剂等因素对南沙马尾藻总脂质水解率的影响,实验表明：以体积分数０．８５的乙醇水溶液为水解溶剂,Ｐｏｃｉｎｅ Ｐａｎｃｒｅａｓ用量为质量分数０．０１２７、水解温度３０℃、时间１５ｈ时,总脂质的水解率可达７１．４１％。     

Ecological monitoring for ascertaining the bio-safety of liver lipids from some Indian marine puffer fishes

ABSTRACT:   Ecological investigations were carried out on Indian marine puffers, Chelonodon patoca, Sphaeroides oblongus, Lagocephalus lunaris and Lagocephalus inermis , the four major species available in the coastal waters of the Bay of Bengal, India. The seasonal intraspecific and interspecific abundance and average daily landings were noted. The high hepatosomatic index and low lipid ratio of muscle to liver indicated accumulation of lipid in the liver. The lipid content was at its maximum during the monsoon (July–October) in all the species as was observed from the study of the seasonal variation of liver lipids. The puffers are mainly bottom feeders and the molluscs Umbonium vesterium and Donax incarnatus are the major prey group, constituting 56.0–87.5% of their food content. The liver and ovary had the maximum toxicity in monsoon during their spawning season. The liver oils so far tested from these fishes had no toxicity and the study reveals that the ecologic information will be helpful in monitoring the quality for the safe isolation of polyunsaturated fatty acid – enriched oil from these non-conventional sources.